Former top referee Peter Marshall has called for the television match
official used in top level rugby to be abolished.

Marshall speaking through his blog on www.heavensgame.com used an example from last weekend’s third Lions test in South Africa to make his point “the decision by the TMO in the 3rd South Africa v Lions Test after more than 3 minutes and 14 replays – “no try”. He ruled Ngani’s foot touched the touch line prior to him grounding the ball over the goal line. This decision was highly debatable. What did the TMO see in the 14th that he didn’t see in the 8th or 10th replay to confirm Ngani’s foot touched the touch line?”

Marshall made valid points around the time taken to make the decision.
Points which were echoed on the leading rugby union podcast RuggaMatrix by host Djuro Sen when talking to Irish Rugby’s defensive coach Les Kiss.

Marshall made a telling point at the end of the post “It will be argued
that there is so much money riding on the results of games these days that we must continue to use TMO’s so they get the decision correct. During the 2009 Super 14 season there were a number of decisions that were incorrectly made by the TMO; these were obvious for all to see.

It is time to revert back to the referee being the decision maker on the
field in consultation with his assistant referees, for the good of the
game of Rugby.”

With many rugby fans discussing the necessity of the TMO Marshall may well have provided the public voice for private opinion.

The RFU announced it is putting in a bid for the 2015 RWC Which contained this line: “The bid includes games at the biggest and best stadia in England and Wales and Dallaglio, “.

To me that smells as if The WRU in exchange for some commitment of voting for England’s bid have been awarded a game or two during the tournament – no doubt for Wales’ toughest match in the group stages.

Here is the question, if another country stands to benefit financially from a RWC bid by another, should they be asked to remove themselves from the bidding process?

Two decent halves of rugby have given English rugby fans real hope that their team has turned a positive corner.

The reality might not be quite that positive yet, but there are real signs of exciting times ahead. I have seen enough to convince me that if they can replace Shaw and Vickery adequately before the next world cup they are more of a chance of progressing to the pointy end of the tournament than either Wales or Ireland.

England are still a bit of a way off a competitive win over a Tri Nations team, but they have reached two rungs below these teams in the ladder. They have achieved a position where they are competitive with Wales and Ireland and through no lack of attractive play, not better than them at the moment but competitive.

You get the feeling that Ireland and to a lesser extent Wales are coming to the end of a cycle of players whereas England appear to be near the beginning. Discipline is an issue for England as is leadership, but if I were an English rugby fan I would be placing a small wager at a betting shop on them picking up the Web Ellis trophy in Eden Park rather quickly.

Martin Johnson has much work to do, he could probably do without too many of his players going to South Africa with The Lions, that will be draining and he will be forced in the summer of 2010 to rest a lot of players from their summer tour then. Not an ideal situation as he will be starting his preperation for the RWC the following year.

The next 18 months will be a bit of a rollercoaster ride for England but you get the feeling that it will be an enjoyable one.